Convertible sofa



Aug- 7, 1962 E. H. THIERFELDER ETAL 3,047,886

CONVERTIBLE SOFA 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 22, 1959 Allg- 7, 1962 E. H. THI'ERFELDER ETAL 3,047,886

' CONVERTIBLE SOFA 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1959 Aug- 7, 1962 E. H. THlERFELDr-:R ETAL 3,047,886

CONVERTIBLE SOFA 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 22, 1959 Zena@ 3,0d786 CONVERTIBLE SFA Ervin H. Thierfelder, Wheaton, Ill., and Earl N. Fleming,

Michigan City, Intl., assignors to The Englander Company, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation ci Delaware Filed Apr. 22, i959, Ser. No. Etldfi@ 2 Claims. (Cl. 5--l3) The present invention relates to sofas which can be converted to form -a bed and more particularly to sofas incorporating a foldable mattress frame assembly movable between a folded and retracted position within the sofa where the mattress frame assembly is covered with cushions for seating and an extended sleeping position projecting forwardly from the sofa.

When folded into a retracted position for seating the mattress frame assembly of a 'convertible sofa of this character lies below the level of the overlying cushions which should be at a normal seating height. This places the folded mattress assembly in a rather-low level position within the sofa. Upon being converted from its folded seating position to its unfolded sleeping position, a folding mattress frame assembly incorporated into a convertiblesofa of this character is extended forwardly through 4a Iforward portion of the sofa lying below the level of the sofa cushions. This forward portion Aof the sofa which must be opened up to allow extension of the mattress frame is normally covered when the mattress frame is in seating position 'by means `of a movable deck board extending across the front of the sofa below the cushions. The construction, mounting, and mode of operation of such deck boards in convertible sofas of the prior art have been marked by a number of shortcomings and undesirable features which have heretofore remained uncorrected. y

One object of this invention is to provide an improved convertible sofa of the above character in which a mov- United States Patent C 3,047,886 Patented Ang. 7, 1962 ice same time improving its appearance and its structural and functional qualities.

A further object is to provide an improved convertible sofa of the character recited in the above objects having an improved construction which substantially simplifies and speeds up the matter of mounting a foldable mattress frame in the vsofa while at the Sametime making working parts on the sofa more readily accessible for servicing.

An additional object is to provide an improved convertible sofa, as recited, having a movable deck board mounted and operated automatically in an improved manner which obviates handling the deck board and the consequent soiling of the upholstery covering the deck board.

Gther objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the exemplary form of the invention, shown in the drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a perspective View of the improved sofa illustrating in phantom the extended sleeping position of the folded mattress frame and bedding included in the sofa;

FlG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken with reference to the line 2-2 in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View showing an intermediate stage in the conversion of the sofa to form a bed. y

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of the matv tress frame support and deck operating linkage taken able `deck board used to conceal the front of a mattress frame when folded into seating position within the sofa is mounted and operated automatically in an improved manner which obviates many significant shortcomings of the prior art.

A further object is to provide in a sofa, which is convertible into a bed by extending `a foldable mattress frame from a retracted seating position to a forward sleeping position through a space atthe front of the sofa normally covered by a deck board, an improved construction which provides for an improved mounting vand operation of the deck board which eiectively eliminates any break or gap in the upholstery covering the deck board and the underlying structure of the sofa. A related object is to provide an improved convertible sofa as recited in the previous object in which an improved mounting and mode of operation of the movable deck board effectively eliminates any apparent gap or space between opposite ends of the deck board and adjacent arm rests of the sofa. n

Another object of the invention is to provide a convertible sofa of the character recited in which improved means provided inthe construction of the sofa, for normally covering longitudinal space at the front of the sofa and automatically opening the space to permit extension of bedding structure from the sofa, substantially reduces the cost of manufacturing the sofa while at the with reference to the line 4 4- of FIG. 3;

PEG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the linkage structure shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6; is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating the manner of mounting the mattress frame support and deck operating linkage;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 7 7 of FG, 3; and

FlG. 8 is a framentary sectional View taken with reference to the line 3--3 inFlG. 5.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the improved convertible sofa l@ forming the exemplary embodiment of the invention, FIG. l comprises a longitudinal back rest l2 at the rear of the sofa which extends upwardly between two arm rests I4 and I6 on opposite ends of the sofa. A generally rectangular support or peripheral frame i8 is mounted at a low level within the sofa and connected to the arm rests 14, 16 and to the back rest l2. The stationary support frame i8 itself is of a conventional construction and is only partially shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6.

The sofa lil includes as a part of its construction a foldable mattress frame Ztl, FIGS. l to 3, which, as such, has a conventional construction and design. As will presently appear, the foldable mattress frame 2li is supported on the stationary peripheral frame 1S for movement between a folded, retracted position, FIG. 2, within the sofa and an unfolded sleeping position projecting forwardly of the sofa as shown in phantom in FIG. 1. Bedding 22 supported on the mattress frame Ztl is folded up with the mattress frame when the latter is folded and moved to its retracted position for seating, FIG. 2. v

When folded into its retracted position for seating, FIG. 2, the mattress frame Ztl and bedding 22 serve as a support for removable seat cushions 26, FIGS. l and 2.

When extended to its forward position for sleeping,

the mattress frame 2li is supported in its forward end by foldable legs 2d.

Since the cushions 26 have substantial thicknessand are located at a normal seating height, it is necessary that the folded mattress frame 2@ lie at a low level Within the sofa. From this low level folded position, the mattress frame is extended forwardly through the front portion of the sofa to its sleeping position, illustrated in phantom in FIG. l, in which a considerable portion of the mattress frame and its support structure lies below the normal level of the cushions 26. The space on the front side of the sofa, FIGS. 2, 3 and 6, through which the mattress frame 2li is extended from its retracted position, is normally covered, when the mattress yframe is in its folded retracted position, by a longitudinal deck board 30 extending between the two arm rests I6. The deck board 30has suicient width -to span a major portion of the height of the sofa below the level of the cushions 26. A longitudinal kick board 32 is fixed to the peripheral frame 18 to extend between the arm rests 14, I6 in immediate underlying relation to the deck board 30.

To extend the mattress frame 2t? to its extended sleeping position it is necessary to move the deck board 30 from its normal position to an out-of-the-way position.

Previously it has been the practice to mount the deck board 3()A1 on the mattress frame 2d for shifting movement with the mattress frame between its two extreme positions.

As shown in FIG. 3, a forward section 3dof the mattress frame Ztl is folded back upon an intermediate mat- -tress frame section 36. These two sections when folded together as shown in FIG. 3 are supported on the stationary frame IS by a pair of conventional activating links .38 pivotedon opposite ends of the frame I8 near the kick board 32. Only one of the two links 38, which are formed as mirror images of each other, is shown in the drawings, FIGS. l to 6. The lower ends of the links 38 are connected together by a transverse bar 40. The upper end of each link 38 is connected to a plate 42 on the mattress frame 20, FIGS. 3 to 6.

The two mattress frame sections 34, 36 folded together as shown in FIG. 3, are carried from the extended position of FIG. 3 to the fully retracted position of FIG. 2 by rearward swinging movement of the links 38 from their forward positions illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5 to rearward positions illustrated in FIG. 2.

It will be observed with reference to FIG. 2 that retraction of the mattress frame 2d brings a pair of intermediate links 44 between the mattress frame sections 36 into closely spaced, substantially parallel relation to the deck board 30. The two links 44 are located at opposite ends of the sofa, only one link appearing in the drawings.

It has been the prior practice to mount the deck board 30 on the two mattress frame links 44 for movement between a normal position and an out of the way position as the sofa is converted for sleeping. While this expedient effectively movedthe deck board 34) to an out of the way position, it was nevertheless subject to shortcornings which are a particular concern in this invention.

Thus, movement of the links 44 to the extended position illustrated in FIG. 3 would completely displace the deck board 30 from the vicinity of the kick board 32 with the consequent necessity for using separate covering of upholstery on these parts. Moreover, the operating characteristics of the folding mattress frame and its support linkage are such that as a practical matter a substantial misalignment would exist between the kick board 32 and the deck board 30 when the latter was in its normal position. The result would be a discontinuity or gap at the front of the sofa between the deck board 'and the kick board with a consequent detraction from the appearance of the sofa. Moreover, the mattress frame links 44 in moving from the retracted position in FIG. 2 to the extended position andasse of FIG. 3 are carried by the links 38 in an arc extending upwardly from the retracted position of the links. The effect of this has been to carry a deck board 30 attached to the links 4d upwardly through the space between the side arms 14, I6. To assure adequate space for passage of the deck board between the arms 14, and 16, it has been necessary to shorten the deck board 30 to the extent that substantial gaps were normally present between opposite ends of the deck board 30 and the side arms when the deck board is in its normal position, which further detracted from the appearance of the sofa.

This widely used expedient of mounting a deck board has created manufacturing ineiciency with its added cost by requiring an upholstery operation in the manufacture of the mattress frame `unit of the sofa. Manufacturing efficiency is maximized by producing the mattress frame 2t) as a separate unit which is installed in the upholstered stationary portion of the sofa, including the back 12, arm rests le, I6, and kick board 32. The necessity for attaching and upholsteringr the deck board 30 in the manufacture of the mattress frame 20 adds to manufacturing costs.

In accordance with the invention the deck board 30 in the improved sofa 10 is pivotally mounted and operated automatically as an incident to extension of the mattress frame 20 to swing between a normal position overlying the kick board 32 and a forward out-of-the-way position by pivotable movement about a horizontal axis immediately adjacent the lower forward edge of the deck board. Thus, the deck board 30 is supported at its lower edge by hinges 46, FIGS. 2, 5 and 6, on the upper edge of the kickboard 32 for swinging movement about a hinge axis 4S, FIG. 2, immediately adjacent the lower forward edge of the deck board.

Automatic operation of the deck board 3i)` as an inl cid'ent to extension and retraction of the mattress frame 2@ is effected by a deck board linkage duplicated at opposite ends of the deck board and comprising a bracket lever 50 rigidly fixed to the back side of the deck board by a mounting bracket 52 and projecting rearwardly and downwardly from the medial portion of the deck board with reference to its normal position shown in FIG. 2.

The projecting end of each bracket lever 50 is conn ected to the adjacent activating link 38 by a connecting link 54 connected between the lever 50 and a pivot 56 on the adjacent activating link 38 between its support on the frame I8 and its connection to the mattress frame. The dimensions of the lever Si) and link 54 together with the locations of the pivotal connection 56 between the links 54 and 38 is such that swinging movement of the activating links 38 from normal rearward position to the extended position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 pivots the deck board forwardly to the out-of-the-way position shown in FIGS. l to 3 and 5. Similarly, retraction of the mattress frame 2t) automatically swings the deck board 30 back to its normal position.

The hinged connection between the deck board 30 and the kick board 32 maintains a fixed predetermined positional relationship between these boards when the deck board is in its normal position. Moreover, the deck board 30 and the kick board as hinged together can be covered by the same piece of `upholstery 58 extending vertically across the lfull width of both boards as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. Preferably, a horizontal bead 60 is formed in the vertically continuous covering strip of upholstery 58 along the line of the hinge axis 48. The result is to completely avoid any discontinuity or gap whatsoever between the upholstery covering the deck board 3) and the kick board 32, thus assuring a neat appearance of this critical portion of the sofa.

Moreover, the simple forward swinging movement of the deck board 3e from its normal to its out-of-the-way position eliminates the previous upward movement of the deck board between the arm rests 14 and 16. Consequently, the deck board 30 can be dimensioned longitudinally to avoid any perceptible gap between opposite ends of the deck bardand'the'adjacent armrest with a resulting improvement'inappearanceat this point.

Further, their'n'proved mounting and operation of the deck board 30"provides` for completion of upholstering the sofa l independentlyof the manufacture of the mattress vframe 20,"whichis"'manufacturedseparately from the stationary portion o'f 'the s'o'fa and installed in the sofa in an improved' and' more Convenient manner as provided by this"i'nventic'ni.` l rIt will be notedh'iithreference to FiGS. 2 and 3 that the end sectir'3'4 of vthe mattress frame 20 when folded back on the intermediate section 32 is convered by a deck canvas 62 which supports the cushion 26. The forward edge of the deck canvas, with reference toy PIG. 2, is supported independently of the deck board 30l by a longitudinal bar 64 mounted on the mattress frame 20 at the upper ends of the links 44. A strip of upholstery 66 is sewn to the forward longitudinal side edge of the canvas 62 which extends around the support bar 64. Attachment of the canvas 62 is a simple step in the manufacture of mattress frame 20.

The bracket links 50 are fixed to the deck board 30 in the manufacture of the stationary chassis of the couch. The deck actuating links 54 are pivoted to the links 38 in the manufacture of the mattress frame and its support linkage.

Exceptionally efficient mounting of the mattress frame support linkage on the stationary yframe 18 is facilitated by fixing two pivot trunnions 68 to the respective activating levers 38 a short distance from the lower ends of the levers to project horizontally outward toward opposite ends of the couch as shown in FIGS. 2, 5, 6 `and 8. The projecting end of each trunnion 68 terminates in an enlarged head or shoulder 69, FIG. 8.

Two transverse `angle irons 70 at opposite ends of the support frame 1S provide support for a pair of L-shaped brackets 72 each of which has a vertical plate portion 74, FIG. 8, deiining a vertical slot 76 open at its upper end and merging at its lower end with a rearward extension 78, fFIG. 6, of the slot. The two brackets 72 and slots 76 are positioned to receive the trunnions 68.

At this point it will be noted that two counterbalancing tension springs 80, v82 extend forwardly from the rear of the sofa to connect with lugs 84, 86 aixed to the adjacent activating link 38 below and above the pivot trunion 68, as shown in FIG. 5, that is, on opposite sides of the axis of the trnnnion. The springs 80, 82 as such are conventional in this art and serve respectively to counterbalance the mattress frame when it is located in its retracted position and its extended position respectively. The springs 80, 82 are duplicated at opposite ends of the sofa.

Convenient mounting of the mattress frame 20 and its supporting linkage in the forward portion of the support frame 1S is effected simply by moving the links 38 to slide the trunnions 68 down into the bracket slots 76. This `can be :facilitated by leaving one of each pair-of springs 80, 82 disconnected and swinging the activating links to relax the other spring. An intermediate stage of this assembly is illustrated in FIG. 6. After engagement'of the trunnions 68 with the slots 76, the links 38 can be swung to an opposite position and the remaining springs attached. The springs 80 and 82 together hold the trunnions 68 in the rearward extensions 78 of the slots 76 to effectively maintain the pivotable supports for the links 38.

The deck board operating links 54 are connected with the bracket links 50l by the very simple act of securing a pivot pin 88 through the coacting links 50 and 54 by means of a speed nut 90, FIG. 7.

Thus, with the stationary or chassis portion of the sofa including the deck board 30 completely manufactured and upholstered, the mattress frame with the deck canvas 62 attached is quickly mounted and connected to the deck board. The pivotal support provided for the activating links 38 also'facilitate equally efficient removal of the mattress -frame'assembly for servicing if necessary.

` It may be further noted that the mattress frame' 20 is swung from its retracted position to its extended position and back again by convenient handles 92 on the end section 34 of the' mattress frame; The `automatic operation of the deck board"30 eliminates any need for handling the deck board with the consequent soiling of"it's"upholstery which could otherwise occur. Moreover, the fact that the deck board 30 swings down and does not move out with the mattress frame links 34 eliminates any possibility of the user grasping the'deck board toextend the mattress frame `as would often occur in the operation of prior convertible sofas of this character, with attendant soiling of the deck board cover.

While specic advantages 4are realized from the illustrated form of the invention, it will be appreciated that the invention is not necessarily limited to the exact structure shown but includes variants and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention ras defined in the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. In a sofa convertible to a bed, the combination of arm rests, a stationary support frame disposed within said arm -rests and including end frame elements, a foldable mattress frame, linkage means supporting said mattress frame on said support frame for movement between a retracted position for seating and an extended sleeping position projected forwardly of said support frame, said linkage including a pair of swingable activating links supporting said mattress frame and located at opposite ends of said support frame, a pair of inwardly offset brackets xed to opposite ends of said end frame elements near the forward portion thereof, each of said brackets defining an upwardly open slot therein having a rearwardly turned closed lower end, a pair of support trunnions fixed to said respective activating links and projecting laterally for movement down through the upper ends of said respective bracket slots to pivot against the rearwardly turned closed lower ends thereof, said activating links being swingable about said trunnions between rearward and forward positions as an incident to movement of said mattress frame between said retracted and extended positions thereof, and a pair of rearwardly extending tension springs anchored to each of said activating links respectively on opposite sides of the axis of said trunnion thereon to urge the trunnion rearwardly in the Ibracket slot therefor in all positions of the activating links and to urge the activating link toward a medial position from either said rearward or forward positions thereon.

2. A sofa convertible to form a bed and comprising, in combination, a low level kick board extending longitudinally across the `front of the sofa, a stationary sofa frame including peripheral frame elements with at least one mounted on said kick board to support the frame in a correspondingly low level position, a longitudinal deck board pivotally connected along one edge to the upper edge of said kick board to swing between a normal position projecting vertically above the kick board and a normal position, a foldable mattress frame mounted on said stationary frame for movement between a folded position for seating and an extended bed position projecting forwardly of said sofa frame in closely overlying relation to said kick board, linkage means supporting said mattress frame on said support frame for movement between la retracted position for seating and an extended position projecting forwardly of said support frame, said linkage means including a pair of swingable activating links connected to the mattress frame and located at opposite `ends of said support frame, a pair of trunnions, one carried by each of said activating linksalbove the inner end of each said link, bracket means carried by `said support frame and in which said trunnions are mounted with the inner end of said activating links connected to rearwardly extending spring means, additional rearwardly' extending spring means fixed to said activating links on the opposite side of said trunnions, and a deck board actuating linkage connected to one of said activating links and pivoted to said Ideck board to move the latter between its normal position and a forwardly. extending position as an incident to movement` of the mattress frame between the -fold'ed and extended positions thereof.

Re. 24,7125 Woller Feb. 28, 1956 8 Thorbjornsen Jan. 18, Hunt Feb. 1, Curtis Mar. 5, Richardson Dec. 24, Svebilius May 13, Brilliant Aug. 24, Luppino Aug. 9, Phipps Sept. 6, Coopersmith Dec. 16, Younlg Dec. 28, Fox Mar. 17, Paladino Apr. 4, Lambert et al Mar. 19,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTIUN Patent No. 3,047,886 August 7, 1962 Ervin H. Thierfelder et al.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 5, line 13, for "convered" read @cove-red column 6, line 60, for "a" read an out-of-the-way position pivoted forwardly from said Signed and Sealed this 25th day of December 1962 (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w. swIDER DAVID L LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

